Car ventilator



May 10, 1938. HGIDDINGS 2,117,000`

CAR VENTILATOR Filedl Dec. 21, 193e ATTORNEYS. l

Patented May 10, 19:38

UNITED AsTATizls PATENT ori-fics 'Ihe present invention relates to ventilators adapted for installation in the roofs of enclosed vehicles, especially freight cars and refrigerator cars. f

i The objects of the invention are to provides. ....lentilator which can beclosed tightly to prevent loss of heat from the interior of the car; which can be opened to varying degrees to per- .Y mit the entrance of more or less outside air under the influence of the wind created by the car's movement; which can be folded back upon the car roof when wide open to prevent increasing the total eiective height of the car; and which will permit ventilation, and at the same time prevent rain water from entering the cargo space of the car, and prevent pilfering', of the Ycargo Ntherefrom. Other objects and advantages of the `invention will become apparent from the follow- 4 ing description which should be read with the ;0 understanding that the formconstruction and arrangement oi the several parts may be varied, within the scope of the appendedV claims, with- Aout departing from the spirit of the invention.

Reference will be made to the accompanying :5 drawing, invwhich Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the ventilator as installed in the roof of an insulated car.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken' from the right,'as viewed in Fig. 1 and showing the yentilator closed.

nates the roof of a car and 4 is one end wall thereof. A hatch 5 is formed in the roof and'is surrounded by the usual raised combing i. A 5 metal plate 1 is hinged at 8 to a bracket 9 secured to one side of the combing 6. A plug Il side of the plate or cover 1,'and when the latter is closedas shown in Fig. 2, said plug III tits 0 tightly within the hatch s andeljrectively seals the opening against loss of heat from the interior of the car.

Avyoke or loop Il extends from the free edge .passlnto the interior of the car. I9 of the housing slopes downwardly toward the In the drawing, the reference numeral 3 desig.

of insulating material is secured to the under-` ofthe cover 1 and slides freely over a lever I2,4

A hook I6 is adaptsuitable louvres I8 in its sides to permit air to The bOtQm' end wall l and is provided with a drain pipe 2l to carry oi any rain water which may enter4 through the hatch. Water is thus prevented from reaching the cargo space of the car, while air is freely admitted thereto through the louvres I8.

Angle irons 2| are secured to the bottom of the plug lo along its side edges and are provided with spaced loops 22 which serve as hinge supports for side .wings or'deflectors 23 provided along their upper edges with holes through which said loops 22 are passed. The wings 23, which are approximately triangular in shape, hang vertically at the sides of the hatch i when vthe cover is 'in Ventilating open position. as

shown in Fig.1, and shut out cross currents of' air which would interfere with the main air current entering the ventilator. A transverse deilecting plate 24, positioned betwe the wings 23, is hinged to the' upper rear edge o the nous-- ing I1, as shown at 25, and is provided at its upper edge with lugs adapted to slide in channels 26 formed in the angle irons 2|. The plate f' 24 assists in deecting the air into the housing I1, and prevents loss of air through the space between the rear edge of the plug I0 and the vcombing B.

A Wings and causes them automatically to fold down when the cover 1 is thrown back ilat upon the'roof, the weight of said chain puing said wings inwardly. The lugs of the transverse deiiector 24 slide out from the open rear. ends of the channels ,26 4when thecover is thrown back, allowing said deflector to drop downand rest within the rear portion oi.' the housing I1.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that my device provides an adjustable ventilator adapted to catch the wind caused by the motion of the car and to conduct-the air impelled by such wind into the interior of the car. At the y same time, the housing I1 prevents rain from reaching the cargo space in the carand prevents pilfering of the cargo through the hatch when the ventilator ls'open. Itwill also be olziserved` i that when the cover is thrown back filat upon the car roof, the various wind'deectors, both the wings 23 and the transverse plate 2G, fold downwardly to retracted positions in which they are protected from damage and do not increase the Ktotal height of the car. Obviously,the cover l can be hinged to open either toward the end of the car or toward its center, the wind catching eHect being the same in either case.

I claim:

l. In a vehicle having a roof provided with a hatch, a cover therefor, means for supportingi hatch, a hinged cover therefor, means for supporting said cover in inclined open position to direct air into said hatch, a deiiector plate extending across the hinge of said cover within said hatch, a hinge connecting the lower edge of said plate with one side oi' said hatch, and a sliding connection between the upper edge oi said plate and said cover.

3. In a vehicle having a roof provided with a hatch, a cover therefor, means forsupporting said cover in inclined open position to direct air into said hatch, spaced wings extending downwardly from the sides of said coverinto said hatch, and a transverse plate between said wings, the lower edge of said plate being hinged to the inside of said hatch and its upper edge being slidably connected. with said cover, said wings and said plate assisting said cover to direct air into said hatch.

4. In a vehicle having a roof provided with av hatch, a cover therefor, means for supporting said cover in an inclined open position to direct air into said hatch, a housing positioned within the vehicle, said housing forming a catch basin for rain water entering through said hatch and being provided with openings to permit air to enter the vehicle, spaced wings extending downwardly from said cover, said wings being received within said housing when the cover is closed and f forming side shields for thev space between said cover and said hatch when said cover is in inclined open position, and a movably mounted deiiector plate between said wings having its opposite edges positioned closely adjacent the under side of said cover and one side of said'housing respectively.

5. In a vehicle having a roof provided wit a hatch, a hinged cover therefor, means for supporting said cover in inclined open position to direct air into said hatch, and a deiiector plate movably connected with said cover and one side of said hatch, said plate extending across said hinge and assisting said cover to deiiect aix' downwardly into said hatch.

6. In a vehicle having a roof provided with a hatch, a hinged cover therefor, meansv for sup- A porting said cover in inclined open position to direct air into said hatch, a housing forming a catchbasin for rain water entering through said hatch, said housing having a water drain leading from its bottom and air openings in its walls,

a pair oi spaced wings hinged to said cover and extending downwardly into said housing, and an articulated connecting member extending beitween said wings, said connecting member causing said wings to fold down fiat upon said cover when the latter is inverted.

7. In a vehicle having a roof provided with a hatch, a hinged cover therefor, means for supporting said cover in inclined open position to direct air into said hatch, a pair of spaced wings hinged to said cover and extending ,downwardly into said hatch, a movably mounted deectcr plate extending across the hinge of said cover and lying between said wings when the cover is in inclined position, said plate 'moving out from between said wingswhen the cover is inverted upon the roof ofthe vehicle, and means connected with said wings for causing them to fold down flat upon said cover when the latter is inverted.

lHORACE GIDDINGS. 

